UK Age-Check Rules Trigger VPN Surge as Privacy Fears Grow

The UK’s Online Safety Act came into force on Friday, and its impact was immediate. VPN usage across the country surged dramatically as age-verification rules began reshaping how people access the internet. According to Top10VPN, UK VPN traffic jumped 1,327% on July 25 compared to the previous four-week average, rising further to nearly 2,000% over the following two days.

The law requires websites to verify that users are over 18—not only on adult platforms, but also across social media, gaming, and even search services. Content deemed harmful now extends well beyond pornography to include material related to self-harm, suicide, and eating disorders. Non-compliant platforms face heavy fines or potential bans.

Simple age checkboxes are no longer sufficient. Regulator OFCOM has outlined stricter verification methods, including photo ID with facial recognition, open banking data, credit card checks, mobile-operator verification, digital ID wallets, and even age estimation from selfies. While these measures are framed as privacy-compliant, many adults see them as intrusive, prompting a turn toward VPNs.

VPNs mask a user’s location by routing traffic through servers in other countries, making them a common tool for bypassing content restrictions. As age-gating expands globally, VPN adoption is increasingly driven by both privacy concerns and regulatory avoidance.

UK Science Secretary Peter Kyle has downplayed the trend, insisting most harmful content is already addressed. Yet with VPN use exploding, the debate over online safety, privacy, and enforceability is clearly heading into 2026 unresolved.